Laurie Stroud
Laurie’s Blog January 2017
HAPPY New Year! Every once in a while, my mom will bag up and bring me some “treasures” of the past like old letters, photographs or childhood toys. Among the “treasures” is a note I wrote to my mom and dad many years ago. Judging by the artwork and handwriting— I was about eight or nine years old. …
Healthy Living
Not Once but Twice He Saved Me Twenty-year-old Chase Walton of Chelsea wrote the poem, “Not Once but Twice He Saved Me” to exemplify how he lives his life. Chase is treated by the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama for a brain tumor. His family and medical team …
Healthy Living
Area Churches Go Red for Women Studies have shown that church-based health intervention helps reduce stroke and heart disease risk behaviors in women. Since heart disease and stroke are the #1 and #4 killers of Alabama women respectively, the American Heart Association (AHA) is partnering with churches to help congregations focus on healthy lifestyles and …
Legal Matters
Game Changers in Estate Planning Planning a family get together for the upcoming Super Bowl? Consider adding to the football fun some quality time for family reflection. Use the time to clarify parents’ wishes regarding medical decisions and financial issues. Of course, some families have dynamics that may be too volatile to allow for logical …
Encouraging Word
8 Principles to Blessing in 2017 To me the greatest sermon preached was Jesus’ “sermon on the mount,” recorded in Matthew 5, 6 and 7. It begins with Matthew 5:1-12, referred to as “the beatitudes.” This passage could also be entitled, “Eight Principles to Blessing.” Let’s take a look at these 8 principles: “Blessed are …
Best Books
Award Winning Alabama Author Releases The Silent Songbird The creation of an imaginative story is an inherently spiritual exercise. It is one of the marks of the imago Deo, the image of God stamped upon humanity. Whether it’s a talking snake in a garden, a merchant who finds a pearl of great price, or a …
Special Feature
Volunteer Salute Alan Cook & First Serve Saturday. Many people spend their Saturdays working in the yard, cutting grass, or spending time with their family. Alabaster’s Alan Cook does too, except it’s not his yard! He dedicates his time to First Serve Saturday doing exactly what the ministry says: serving the first Saturday of every …
Money Matters
Volatility Is Not Risk, the Two Should Not Be Confused What is risk? To the conservative investor, risk is a negative to the opportunistic investor, risk is a factor to tolerate and accept. Whatever the perception of risk, it should not be confused with volatility. That confusion occurs much too frequently. Volatility can be considered …
Special Feature
presented by: DSLD Land Management Drought to Drainage: 4 Most Common Residential Drainage Problems & Solutions The recent drought has led all of us to be particularly grateful for rain, but with the heavy downpours, you may see problems in your yard where drainage is an issue. Without proper drainage, water can collect, cause damage …
